Nissan opens all-electric Leaf pre-orders to the US public: $99 to reserve

Nissan didn't hesitate to gloat about its ability to book 8,000 Leaf pre-orders in just nine days during a pre-pre-order for those who specifically requested early access to the automobile, and now the outfit's looking to make good on plans to have 25,000 orders in place by December. If all goes well, the all-electric car will be "widely available" in 2012, with a semi-wide release slated for next Spring. Naturally, the buzz is already fueling demand, and the automaker has today opened up a public reservation system online for those unwilling to take chances on availability come 2011.